National Trust welcomes philanthropist’s record-breaking donation as the charity unveils major plans for 2026

Record-breaking donation

Mr Battcock’s donation is transformative for the National Trust because it means the charity can spend the funds without conditions. Most donations to UK charities are legally restricted to be spent in specific ways. Importantly, unrestricted funding provides the Trust with the flexibility to fund projects of its choosing and support infrastructure. Excluding legacy donations, only 2.6% of the National Trust's fundraising income is available to use without restrictions.

Humphrey Battcock said: “The National Trust represents what is best about our society, preserving our shared heritage for all the people. For over 130 years, it has been at the vanguard of progress for the United Kingdom. Its deep commitment to sustainability and to providing access for more people resonates with the values of its founders and reminds us of what is special about our country.

“It was during a visit to Osterley Park and House that I witnessed first-hand the efforts the Trust has put in to ensuring people from all parts of our society have access to its attractions, where it cares for our history, nurtures our nature and makes the fullest use of their potential. I also visited Trust-owned farms in north Devon and saw its emphatic commitment to sustainable food production.

“In making this donation, I want to emphasise that it is unrestricted; I will have no say over how the charity spends it – and that is because I trust the National Trust to know how best this money can be used.”

Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust, said: “This gift is a huge boost for the National Trust - both because of the vital work it will fund and because of the faith Humphrey has shown in our approach by making it unrestricted. We believe the challenges we're setting out to tackle through our new strategy will define our generation: we must halt the freefall decline in nature before it becomes irreversible; end unequal access to nature, beauty and history; and inspire millions more people to care for the world around them.

"As Europe's largest conservation charity, the National Trust is uniquely placed to address these challenges, but we can't underestimate the scale of the change that's needed. That's why every donation, from big individual gifts like the one we're celebrating today, to smaller donations for specific appeals and the regular contributions of our 5.3 million members, is valued and needed."

Last year the National Trust launched an ambitious 10-year strategy to guide the charity’s work to 2035 and beyond. It pledged to make its biggest contribution to addressing the catastrophic decline in nature in its history, by creating 250,000 hectares of nature-rich landscapes, both on Trust land and off it. The charity also announced its ambition to significantly grow people’s access to nature and cultural heritage over the next 10 years and inspire millions more to care for the world around them. The Trust’s 2026 plans build on these foundations.

Restoring nature

The National Trust is working in partnership with organisations such as Natural England, Forestry England, Beavers Trust and Lifescape to bring key species back to the landscapes they’ve been absent from for centuries. This year it will be supporting existing populations of white-tailed eagles in Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of White to expand further into England and Wales. Driven to extinction in England in the early 19th century by hunting and persecution, the white-tailed eagle is the UK’s largest bird of prey and is critical for maintaining balanced ecosystems.

It’s not just eagles that are coming back; so are beavers. Restoring waterways is critical to restoring nature at scale and breathing life back into vital ecosystems. Around the country, beavers in enclosures have proved invaluable for slowing the flow of water, mitigating the risk of flooding and creating habitats for wildlife. Following the Trust’s release of the first licensed beaver into the wild in England last year, it plans to release more beavers in 2026, subject to receiving the necessary licences from Natural England.

The charity is also supporting efforts to restore hazel dormouse populations, working with partners to develop a strategic conservation plan for these threatened species, and creating connected dormouse habitat to expand nationally significant populations. Numbers of dormice are estimated to have fallen by about half between 2009 and 2018, meaning this vulnerable species is in dire need of support.

The Trust is delivering on its commitment to reach net zero by 2030, upgrading infrastructure across the more than 500 places in its care. At Stourhead, a combination of a new solar PV project and four air-source heat pump installations will significantly reduce the estate’s dependence on fossil fuels. The solar panels generate home-grown renewable electricity while projects around the infrastructure will restore species-rich grassland, create new hedgerows and enhance wildlife corridors. Together, these upgrades are expected to cut Stourhead’s carbon emissions by over 280 tonnes a year.

Alongside green energy generation, the Trust is rolling out nature-based solutions to improve wastewater treatment. At Clent Hills near Birmingham, the site’s variable footfall and position on a slope make it a suitable location for a combined vertical-flow and surface flow reed bed that uses gravity and natural processes to effectively treat wastewater generated from visitor operations. This approach has been tested at smaller Trust sites, but is being scaled up at Clent Hills, a site that can receive up to 500,000 visitors a year.

Ending unequal access

In spring 2025, live camera feeds allowed hundreds of thousands of people to watch the antics of the Farne Islands’ puffins and guillemots from the comfort of their own homes. In autumn, viewers tuned in to Blakeney Point in Norfolk to watch seal pups being born in real time. This year, the National Trust will bring live broadcasts of nature's stars to public spaces in towns and cities across the country. The roadshow of these “seal-mobiles” will reveal the intimate wildlife moments of seals, puffins, beavers and their offspring that are rarely seen by humans and help people to connect with nature wherever they are.

Continuing its Discovery Houses Programme, which uses research and live audience testing to enhance visitors’ experiences in historic houses, the Trust is revitalising its libraries and reading rooms. Together, they chronicle centuries of private book ownership, reading habits, and literary enjoyment. Towards the end of the year, book lovers visiting Wightwick Manor, Powis Castle, Kingston Lacy and Upton House will be able to continue this historic legacy by reading where many generations have before them, using libraries for their original purpose.* Elsewhere in some of the houses, the charity is taking out the teasels and pinecones that have traditionally kept visitors from taking a seat. It is adding more places to sit and reflect at The Vyne, Hardwick Hall, Lacock Abbey, Upton House and Dyrham Park. The comfortable seating will complement the properties’ history and character, supporting visitors to absorb their surroundings at a gentler pace.

Creative programming inside historic houses will take visitors to the far corners of the world. They are invited to embark on a powerful exploration of global histories with Journeys – three exhibitions of textiles running concurrently from May at Dyrham Park, Osterley Park and House, and Blickling Estate. The Trust is partnering with renowned collector, author and curator Karun Thakar to present these historic interiors in a new light, offering the chance to discover global textile traditions and uncover multi-layered histories of cultural exchange. Journeys will use highlights from Karun Thakar’s collection of global textiles to explore themes of migration, trade, craftsmanship, global history and beauty. The exhibitions will examine both tangible heritage and living traditions, uncovering stories often hidden or hard to see in Britain’s country houses.

At Kedleston, the exhibition ‘How Did We Get Here?’ will tell nuanced stories about the journeys taken by objects, people and organisations. Members of the Tibetan community living in Britain have worked in partnership with the Trust to shape this exhibition that presents films and personal stories, as well as Tibetan artefacts from the Kedleston Museum collection. ‘How Did We Get Here?’ is open from 14 February to 27 September 2026. In the conservation studio next to the museum, there will be a rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes insight into the conservation work and techniques that helped make the exhibition happen.

The Trust can today also announce its intention to take on the operational management of Heartlands in Cornwall, its latest action to protect national heritage alongside widening communities’ access to it. This 8-hectare heritage regeneration site is home to Robinson's Engine House and is a gateway to the 10 dispersed mining districts that make up the Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site, the largest industrial World Heritage Site in the UK. The Trust aims to take on Heartlands later this year, subject to confirmation of lease arrangements with Cornwall Council, and with the support of partners Cornwall Rural Community Charity and Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum. This acquisition follows last year’s announcement that the National Trust would acquire the Ironbridge Gorge museums in Shropshire, part of another globally-important UNESCO World Heritage site.

Inspiring millions

As well as releasing real-life beavers into the wild, this spring the National Trust is teaming up with Disney and Pixar to celebrate the release of their new animated comedy adventure, Hoppers, in which beavers take centre stage. This collaboration will include a unique, story‑led trail inspired by the world of Hoppers to encourage exploration and inspire a love of nature and wildlife through playful, hands‑on learning. The trail will be aimed at children aged 6–11 and will run from February half term to coincide with the film’s UK cinema release on 6 March.

The partnership and activities champion the importance of creative play and the need for inspiring spaces for children to explore and enjoy. The Play Commission’s report in February 2025 revealed that spend on public play facilities has declined by over 44% by 2017. The Trust is stepping up investment in its own play facilities, with work starting on major play developments at Tyntesfield and Fountains Abbey (opening 2027) and an upgraded area opening at Shugborough. In summer 2026, Shugborough will also open the Trust’s first forest garden. Forest gardening uses symbiotic planting to create resilient ecosystems which feed, water and fertilises themselves. The diverse range of plants reduces competition, enables plants to thrive and builds resilience to pests, disease and the effects of climate change.

Nature will reach new heights in towns and cities in spring, when the National Trust’s Sky Gardening Challenge launches nationwide. After a successful debut in Greater Manchester last year, everyone in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland can now get help greening their balconies and window boxes. Participants receive free support including seeds, regular newsletters and tutorials, and can share their journey through a competition. In London, Newcastle, Birmingham and Greater Manchester, gardeners can get hands-on and hands dirty with workshops and activities. The challenge aims to support some of the estimated 8.6m people living in flats to benefit from everyday access to nature.

And on screens, the National Trust and The Open University have co-produced the TV series Secret Garden; five hour-long episodes for BBC One and iPlayer telling the surprising stories of the wild characters and nature that live right on our doorstep. Britain’s 25 million gardens have a combined area greater than all the National Nature Reserves combined. During and after the series, the National Trust hopes to inspire millions to realise that every garden, every small act and every person can be part of a much bigger story for nature.

Hilary McGrady said: “The lack of what are becoming known as ‘third places’ in our daily lives is becoming increasingly apparent. Children need spaces away from school and home to play and explore and build their creativity. Young people need somewhere to slow down and connect with the world around them. We all need a space to breathe and recharge, whether that is in a beautiful garden, on a wooded walk or immersed in culture. In 2026 I want more people to be able to find their place, whether that’s at a National Trust place or somewhere in their local community. We will work with other charities, organisations and authorities to try and make sure access to nature, beauty and history is a right for everyone, not a privilege for a few.”

*Books will not include historic collection items.